Buddleia plant named &#39;PIIBD-II&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Buddleia  plant named ‘PIIBD-II’, characterized by its compact, rounded to upright growth habit, dark green foliage, reddish pink flowers with an orange center, and long flowering season, with flowers produced from summer to the first frost.

GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Buddleia hybrid Franch.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘PIIBD-II’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Buddleiaplant, botanically known as Buddleia hybrid Franch., commonly known asbutterfly-bush, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name‘PIIBD-II’. ‘PIIBD-II’ is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscapeuse and for use as a potted plant.

‘PIIBD-II’ originated from an open-pollination of the cultivar ‘MissRuby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,950) growing in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2010.The cultivar ‘PIIBD-II’ originated and was selected in a cultivatedenvironment in Watkinsville, Ga. from the progeny of thisopen-pollination by continued evaluation for growth habit, foliage andflower characteristics.

Asexual reproduction of by stem cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga. since 2011has shown that all the unique features of this new Buddleia, as hereindescribed, are stable and reproduced true-to-type through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PIIBD-II’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withchanges in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. In combination thesecharacteristics distinguish ‘PIIBD-II’ from all other varieties incommerce known to the inventor. 1. Compact, rounded to upright growthhabit; 2. Dark green foliage; 3. Reddish pink flowers with an orangecenter; 4. Long flowering season, with flowers produced from summer tothe first frost.

‘PIIBD-II’ is distinguished from its female parent, ‘Miss Ruby’, by itsflower color and inflorescence size. ‘PIIBD-II’ has darker reddish pinkflower color and larger inflorescences, whereas ‘Miss Ruby’ has lightermedium pink flower color and smaller inflorescences.

‘PIIBD-II’ can be compared to ‘Miss Molly’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,425),but differs in the following characteristics. has larger foliage, darkerreddish pink flower color and larger inflorescences, whereas ‘MissMolly’ has smaller foliage, lighter reddish purple flower color andsmaller inflorescences.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliagecharacteristics and the overall appearance of ‘PIIBD-II’, showing thecolors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colorreproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription which accurately describe the colors of the new Buddleia.

FIG. 1 Illustrates the overall appearance of a plant of ‘PIIBD-II’planted in the ground.

FIG. 2 Illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘PIIBD-II’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The plant used forthe description was approximately three years old and was grown in theground in a nursery in Watkinsville, Ga. Colors are described using TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).

-   Botanical classification: Buddleia hybrid Franch. ‘PIIBD-II’.    Parentage: Female, or seed, parent: ‘Miss Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.    19,950). Male, or pollen parent: unknown (open-pollinated).    Propagation: terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer:    about 21 days at 32° C.-   Plant description: Deciduous flowering shrub; compact, rounded to    upright growth habit. Freely branching; pruning enhances lateral    branch development.    -   -   Root description.—numerous, fibrous and well-branched.        -   Plant size.—about 213 cm high from the soil level to the top            of the inflorescences and about 234 cm wide. First year            stems have a diameter of about 3.5 mm. Shape: quadrangular            when young, becoming rounded with age. Pubescence:            tomentulose when young, becoming glabrous with age. Second            year and older stems have a diameter of about 4.5 mm or            more. Shape: round.        -   Trunk diameter.—3.8 cm at the soil line. Color: N199C.        -   Internode length.—about 3.9 cm.        -   Strength.—flexible when young, becoming stronger with age.        -   First year stem color (young).—194B, at times overlaid with            178A. Color (mature): 199A.        -   Second year and older stem color.—199A. Bark does not            exfoliate.-   Vegetative buds: Opposite arrangement, naked, subglobose, 2 bud    scales with tomentulose pubescence. Color: 197D. Size: about 2 mm in    length and 1 mm in width.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—opposite, simple. Leaf length: about 8.6 cm.            Leaf width: about 2.5 cm. Shape: lanceolate to elliptical.            Apex: acuminate. Base: cuneate. Margin: closely serrate to            serrulate.        -   Texture.—upper surface is glabrous, lower surface is            tomentose.        -   Venation pattern.—pinnate. Venation color (upper surface):            144A. Venation color (lower surface): 144C.        -   Foliage color (upper surface).—N137A. Foliage color (lower            surface): 194A.        -   Petiole length.—about 3 mm. Petiole diameter: about 1.5 mm.            Petiole color: 144C. Pubescence: tomentulose.-   Flower description: Flowers on new growth. Flowers are produced from    about June through the first frost in Watkinsville, Ga. An    inflorescence is showy for about three weeks, and individual flowers    last about three days and are self-cleaning. Approximately 265    flowers per individual inflorescence.    -   -   Inflorescence type.—terminal panicle. Inflorescence length:            about 16 cm. Inflorescence width: about 4.9 cm. Fragrance:            pleasant and sweet.        -   Peduncle.—about 14.6 cm in length, about 2 mm in diameter,            color is 146C, at times overlaid with 178A, with tomentulose            pubescence.        -   Individual flowers.—about 1.2 cm in height and 8 mm in            diameter and salverform in shape.        -   Flower buds.—Length: about 8 mm; Diameter: about 2 mm;            Color: 71B. Shape: elongated, linear balloon.        -   Pedicels.—about 2.5 mm in length, less than 1 mm in            diameter, 146C in color with tomentulose pubescence.        -   Calyx.—consists of 4 sepals fused at the base. The calyx is            about 3 mm in length, about 1 mm in diameter, 147B in color,            tubular in shape with tomentulose pubescence. The individual            sepals are lanceolate in shape, with an acute apex and            entire margin, 147B in color with tomentulose pubescence.-   Petals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—4 petals fused at the base to form            the corolla tube, which is about 9 mm in length, 1 mm in            width, outer surface is 71A in color and the inner surface            or center of the flower is N172C in color.        -   Petal.—Length: about 4 mm. Width: about 4 mm. Shape: broad            spatulate. Apex: broad obtuse to rounded. Margin: ruffled.            Texture: glaucous.        -   Petal color.—upper and lower surfaces are 71A in color.-   Stamens:    -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—4 stamens per flower, fused to the            inner base of the corolla tube, about 4 mm long. Filaments:            3 mm in length, less than 0.5 mm in width, and 1D in color.            Anthers: 1 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width, and 4C in color.            The stamens are not pubescent. Pollen: produced in small            quantities and is 158D in color.-   Pistils:    -   -   Quantity.—One superior pistil per flower. Pubescence: none.            Pistil: about 5 mm in length and about 1 mm in width.            Stigma: elongated shape, about 1.5 mm in length and 0.5 mm            in width and 144C in color. Style: tubular in shape, about 1            mm in length, less than 0.5 mm in width and 73D in color.            Ovary: ovoid in shape, about 2.5 mm in length, about 1 mm in            width and 144B in color.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type/appearance.—two-valved, septicidally dehiscent capsule.            Length: about 7 mm. Width: about 2 mm. Immature color: 144C.            Mature color: N200D. Each capsule contains many tiny seeds            165D in color.-   Disease/pest resistance: ‘PIIBD-II’ has not exhibited any particular    pest or disease susceptibility or resistance, except occasional    susceptibility to spider mites under very hot and dry conditions.    ‘PIIBD-II’ is cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Buddleia plant named ‘PIIBD-II’, asillustrated and described herein.